


Tickety Boo

by AwatereJones



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drama, M/M, Post-Episode: s01e04 Cyberwoman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 17,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29277345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: Today is Waitangi Day, our national holiday so i am giving you a little 17 chap story i wrote during a brain fart stage. This is set after Cyberwoman and Ianto makes a decision to run instead of facing Jack ... another 'what if' story with a twist ... oh yeah... and Gwen is still a cow, can't help that. LOL
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Lisa Hallett/Ianto Jones
Comments: 34
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

Ianto stood there with a feeling he could not escape.

When his mother died he felt this… despair. In the middle of the Tower falling he felt this loss. And now… sliding the last of the cybertech into the furnace he felt it lingering long after the smell of Lisa's burning flesh had dissipated to make way for the rubbery smell of her cybernetics.

He was exhausted.

He turned from the furnace, patting the button to close the front blast doors and he staggered under the weight of the buckets, carrying them to the room that was almost scrubbed clean. Just a little more. He finished that and rose to splash the last of the water from the bucket across the floor, watching the tiny bubbles race for the far grating like they were lemmings running for the cliff and then he saw the boots standing on said grating.

Of course.

Ianto raised his head and wearily looked at the man who stood in his Great Coat. No Webley drawn. Ianto knew this meant it was likely that they were going to take this someplace else. Ianto was not sure how to feel about that. On one hand… he did just clean this up so it would be a shame to leave another mess but on the other hand… he had preferred to die here with her.

"I just need to put this stuff away sir, I shall be along directly" Ianto croaked out, looking for the sponge he had forgotten to get out of one of the buckets and he saw it over on the far grate, kneeling to pick it up. "All done and dusted. Tickitey-boo"

"Come find me when you are ready for the de-brief" Jack said softly, turning on his heel and Ianto closed his eyes against the pain. Jack had sounded… sad. Ianto would have preferred anger really, the disappointment the man felt in him more crushing somehow.

Ianto was walking up through the levels when Gwen met him heading down and she huffed as she placed her hands on her hips "He sent me to get you, some of us want to go home after this ya know."

"Sorry my demise is not coming fast enough for your need for closure" Ianto muttered as he placed the bucket in it's correct spot. "I don't' want to leave work for the next butler."

"Just get a move on for fucksake, some of us have lives to get home to!" she snapped as she spun to leave and Ianto felt a sob clawing its way up his throat at the cruel reminder that his life was about to be over. Nothing for him to go home to now… except his own rest.

He sat on the loo to make sure he was well cleaned out (wouldn't do to shit himself in his death throes, so unseemly) before a hot shower and his best suit, the shave as close as he could manage with shaking hands. He morosely reached the main Hub and looked for Owen who would need to do the final bloods and such before the execution could take place… or the freezer drawer where they can pretend one day he might be thawed out… right… but… he knew better. He would go down looking his best, if only so Jack could see him that way when he checked on him every few years for any degrading. That happens too ya know.. the chryo units failing and … rotten meat. Somehow Ianto would prefer that and he wondered if he could sabotage his unit to ensure that might happen.

No… Toshiko would be upset. What with her Tommy in one.

Toshiko was at her workstation talking hard and fast as her fingers flew, a rogue blowfish at the fairground scaring people. Ianto slid behind her to see that the entire team had gone, all there bar Toshiko who was transfixed on the screen.

Ianto had a window.

He released Myfanwy, wishing her luck as he took a deep breath and looked at her graceful flight one more time.

He moved quickly, sitting at Jacks' desk to write a note of apology for the file, then a second one that he slid into Jack's drawer where he sought candy late at night so it would not be found straight away, the more officinal one left on the desk. He was ready, now he could go but as he looked down at Toshiko from Jack's office window he had a sudden… startling thought that had not occurred to him and he sat back cheekily against the side of the desk as he chewed over this new voice whispering in the back of his mind.

There was something left to do… if there was time. He made sure the money in that hidden account would transfer over to the other more hidden one he set up to pay Rhiannon so within the week she could still get that fortnightly amount she thought was from their father's estate. All tht money he had siphoned off for Lisa's future… might as well go to someone. Enough there to see her good for years.

He headed to the medical bay, starting the exit file for Owen and as he drew a sample of his blood he felt the utter despair of finality. This is it. All over. Ianto tried not to care, tried to reason that it was part of some cosmic plan.

What he deserved.

He set the machine to do the blood test and moved on to the paperwork, the ping of the analyser making him reach for the printout without looking up from the slow deliberate sweep of the ball point pen as it described his injures.

He sat back and looked at the sheet of paper, his mouth dry.

He does not know how long he sat there but it was almost too long, the team's laughter over the Hub speakers brining him out of his fugue as he rose and started to scrub the test from the main server. He had to … fuck. OK. Focus Twpsyn. Panic later OK? The voice in his head was calm and soothing, her soft purr almost like a hug and he calmed for a moment before checking his watch and calculated from their last coordinates to their arrival back at base.

He had time.

He rose and sent a silent apology to Toshiko for doing this on her shift… then… he walked calmly out to the tourist office and reached under the desk for his grab bag kept there for such emergencies.

He opened the door and stepped outside into the sea air, took a deep breath then….

Ianto ran.

.

..

"Dennis!"

"Hello Mister Shrives" Ianto smiled as he held out his hand "come for me car."

"Oh aye? Thought you would be another three weeks until your monthly cheque" the old man rose to wipe his hand on a rag, then accept the handshake of the Englishman who was a right tosser full of London airs.

"The deal fell through and my investors are all arseholes. Good thing I don't really care about their money, eh?" Ianto said, the fake English accept so polished and… natural.

"Never mind boy… well… it's all ready to go. Fresh paint job, the lot" the man handed over the key and Ianto slid into the Volvo that was rude and somehow fitting for the personality he was emulating.

"Tootle Pip!" Ianto yelled as he drove off at speed and the old man shook his head as he muttered to himself.

"Twat"

.

.

Ianto drove for all of fifteen minutes, pulling into a less than legal car yard and honked three times. Men emerged and surrounded the car as Ianto got out as he yelled with a guttural London twang now "Hey Muncher… got another one for ya. Hey… while you have a second… that nice looking Suzuki over there… that for the chop too?"

The huge black man that emerged stared at the 4x4 sitting in the yard and frowned "Nah Thomas, that one was just a trade-in. Piece of shit is legal, just feckin old. Shit, this is nice… lovely paint job. Shame to kill it… might lift the body intact."

"Sounds like a plan… ah… swapsies? It's legal too."

"Seriously? This for that? Shit yeah. Cheers Thomas, my wife will be well pleased with this" Muncher grinned.

"Yeah well… never saw me right?" Ianto tapped his nose as the man laughed and soon Ianto was on the road again.

The shell game was afoot.


	2. just... boo

Ianto stepped outside to breathe the clean mountain air, smiling softly as he liked to his left and the deer wandering across his front yard ignored him as it trotted along with interest, following the smell of food and Ianto smiled as he watched its tail wag while chewing the apple slices left out.

It was a harsh winter, the sort that was in your bones making your joints complain each time you left your bedding but he had no choice. Needed water. He stomped his snow shoes into the snow as he trekked to the creek behind his house and he carefully lowered the bucket on a rope over the side of the snow bank, careful not to get too close to the edge.

Learned that one fast.

He then lifted it out and walked gingerly back to the cabin, walking into the entrance way to close the door before sitting to remove the snowshoes and outer garments, then he headed into the cabin and the warmth waiting to greet him. "It's only me."

He walked to the fire sniggering at himself as there was no answer… of course not. He was alone.

He had started doing that it the last six months he had been here after arriving a good month after he started shuffling the deck in his favour … talking to himself. He told himself it was when he started to disagree and argue with himself he could admit there was a problem… right?

Using the 'get to of jail free' cards he had put in play for Lisa were now working well for him as he carried out his plan to run from Torchwood… sans Lisa. Felt weird, finding clothing and such for her at some spots along the way but it was less sorrowful now, he missed Jack more. So much more.

He checked his watch and pondered the day ahead then he rose to get his coffee tin, shaking it as he stared inside and grimaced. Almost out. Right. Time to go shopping.

Ianto had breakfast and drank two cups of coffee, using up the last of his stock. He knew one was the norm but he was gonna freeze his balls off out there. Good thing he didn't need them any more eh? The last cup was piss weak anyway, just the dregs. Why not, he would need the extra burn for the journey to town and with the cold brisk day out there. He then put on his snow pants and heavy jacket, pulling on the bobble hat and then he stomped the snow shoes to test they were solid before heading out around the other side of the cabin to the garage where he checked the fuel gage before turning over the snowmobile … (like someone might have used it since he last did?) … removing his snowshoes before settling on it to ride with practiced grace down the trail towards the village at the bottom of the mountain.

He drove into the back lot of a store and parked, got off and adjusted his jacket before entering and calling out, "Missus Jessop?"

"Henderson?" a voice called back, then an ample bosomed older lady appeared from the walk-in freezer with a look of delight "Hello love, didn't' know you would be in this early. I didn't think you would be here until next week!"

"Coffee" he said with a grimace and she laughed as he added "I might cut my throat soon if there is none."

The American accent was vaguely familiar and although part of him hated the reminder, secretly deep down he knew it was the only thing he had left of Jack. He also considered leaving Great Britain all together but he knew he would miss this place… and the little reminders or ghosts about the place. Anyway… he wanted this citizenship even if fake. He walked through the kitchen to the front of the restaurant and settled at the counter knowing a lovely strong tea would come. He did not remove his large puffy jacket, as always he simply pulled off the bobble hat and let his hair stick out all over the place.

Then after he rose and winked as he told her she could had him if she were just a tad younger, making her blush and he wandered out into the street and across to the store where he was greeted with enthusiasm by those behind the counter.

"HENDERSON!"

"Hey boys. I have a little list today I am afraid… rats have been at my pantry again.. one the size of an American" he said in that eerily Jack-like drawl and they both laughed happily as they helped him and then one of the men leaned in and said softly "A few more of those on-line packages came."

"Ah, I did wonder. Great." Ianto said as he waited for the courier packages to take back across and place in the box on the back of his snow mobile. He then went back into the restaurant and again took his customary seat at the counter, feigning surprise as the large meal placed in front of him.

"No thinks Darlin' girl" he said as the coffee was about to be poured "I broke my one cup a day rule already… black tea?"

"You and your one cup a day" she laughed softly, then she turned with a new smile "Hello Aidan."

"Hey Fran. Pour me some of that coffee would ya?" a man said and Ianto sipped his tea as the local Heddlu sat next to him "Christ we have a hell of a storm blowing in tonight. Hey Henderson."

"Hey Aidan" Ianto replied calmly, "rough day?"

"Bloody tourists, went up the south ridge and haven't come back, gonna have to sent two bloody men …."

Whatever else Aidan was going to say was cut off as faint hollering filled the street outside and they all raced out to find a man there in the middle of the road covered in blood babbling as he pointed back at the mountain "Big Foot, a fucking Big Foot attacked us …"

Ianto looked at the man covered in gore, too much for it to be anything good and he slowly turned to face the mountain as a feeling fell over him that he had not felt in a long time.

Dread.


	3. sticky

Ianto wanted to go with them to the station and listened but also didn't want to be a part of it so he stayed at the counter of the restaurant, clinging to it as he forced himself to look as confused as everyone else. Finally Aidan appeared and slumped in his chair with a look of doom.

"So… I take it the red stuff was his friends?" Ianto asked.

"Mad. Totally insane. He says they pitched their camp and a bloody Big Foot came in and attacked them" Aidan snorted "Likely story, eh? I think he killed them his own self."

"Well… maybe I read too many crime and investigation novels ya know? But… how did it kill them?" Ianto turned in his seat to ask.

"He says it slammed in to camp, they scattered and it chased them killing them one by one, only he got away." Aidan said with a huff "I think it's bullshit but the others believe him. Calling the bloody head office for assistance."

Ianto grimaced as he knew that would get flagged by Torchwood within minutes of the 'Big Foot' mentioned.

"OK… let's think this through. If they ran in different directions and it chased them down, killed them… think about tit. They would all die in different places right? How would their blood get on him?" Ianto asked calmly, letting the man think before adding "so… he would have run too so… how did he get their blood all over him? Doubled back around the thing each time? I mean… I would have thought to be that covered you would be standing by the person being bludgeoned to death … sorry. Torn apart or whatever so… did he run with the Bgo Foot to each kill site and… what.. hold the torch for him?"

Someone started to laugh softly as Ianto sighed and Aiden pointed a finger at him "Henderson… you are fucking smart!"

"Like I said…" Ianto rose and flicked some money on the counter "I read a lot. Agatha Christie would have told you the same, champ."

"I will get those clothes tested, if there is more than one person's DNA on there we will know he is bullshitting" Aidan as he rose and flicked money, intending to leave a swell and Ianto couldn't help himself.

"Ask the local doctor to check it for blood type, you only need to prove more than one blood type for your theory and the results will be back quick" Ianto pointed out. "Open and shut domestic killing. Tickety-boo!"

Ianto walked out to his snow mobile and took a deep breath, looking aroid as he seemed to be memorising the place and after a few moment's thought he headed back to the store for extras. He would not come back down until he was sure Torchwood were not here… god he could not come down for months now maybe. He could only hope, he did not want to run again… not this late in the game.

He got as much as he could carry on the mobile, then assed more to a large camping pack as the men behind the counter watched with interest "Going camping son?"

"Well… this storm coming in, I might not get back in before the thaw. If my snow mobile breaks down I am stranded up there for a few months or four, best be prepared" Ianto said with a shrug "Anyway… I can always use the satellite phone to call for Roger to do an aerial drop."

"Sounds like you are there 'til spring" the old man cackled as he pointed to Ianto's middle "good thing you have a few extra pounds on you to see you through."

Ianto picked up two more packets of coffee as he agreed "And plenty of deer about, and rabbits for the pot. I will be fine. Just need this cup a day of goodness or I might lose my mind!"

He knew he had to hustle to get home before dark, letting the snow mobile run hot but it didn't matter.

Torchwood would come, see there was nothing happening here and leave. He would be fine, he would be safe.

.

.

Ianto settled at the desk and turned on screen after screen until the entire wall of monitors was live, the village and several tracks were there in living colour for him to see. He chose one and fiddled with the frequency until he had audio, listening to Aidan arguing with another man about getting sausages for the prisoner for dinner.

He sat back and took a deep breath, his clothing loose and hot as he stripped off layer after layer and let the fire warm his weary bones. He glanced over at the stuff to be packed away and decided he would do that tomorrow, he was beat.

Bone weary from hurrying and overdoing it but he knew he had to be ready, settle in and hide for the next few months … well… three or four.

His hand went absently to his stomach as he rubbed the small bump and sent loving thoughts, glancing back at the groceries and reminding himself no coffee until the morning. One cup a day... all he was allowed.

Ianto's head lolled back as he stared up at the ceiling of the log cabin and he cursed softly.

He knew damned well Torchwood would come.


	4. shut up Aidan

The SUV roared into the village the next morning, Ianto almost spilling his precious coffee as he swore and tried not to throw something at the screen. He was awake and alert, his eyes darting from screen to screen with growing alarm as the SUV came to a stop by the Heddlu office and Owen was first out, landing in the snow and wind-milling his arms before landing face first in the snow drift Jack had parked next to.

Ianto could not help the snigger of amusement at Owen roared with anger like someone had pushed him. Would have blamed him for that.

"Good work Owen… you search for clues there then" Jack said, his voice tinny over the long distance feed but Ianto groaned softly as his stomach flip-flopped, then he slapped a hand over his mouth like Jack might hear him.

Ianto watched them walk into the Heddlu office and changed cameras to watch Jack swagger to the desk and demand to speak to Aidan who was already there and looking pissed.

"I told you on the phone late last night… it's not some alien or Big Foot thing.. he made it up. Here is the preliminary bloods from the clothing… three different blood types, ergo.. three different people bled all over him. If they were all running and a Big Foot killed them one by one as the others kept running… how did he get all three victims on him?" Aidan said, then snorted as he quoted Ianto "Did he stop to hold the torch?"

Owen snatched the report up and glared at it as Toshiko asked "Crime scene photos can clear it up pretty fast, have them printed out?"

Silence.

Ianto sat forward the chair with horror as he realised the idiots had not gone to the crime scene yet "nononononononononooooo"

"Right then. Let's go.. all terrain this baby" Jack grinned as he hooked a thumb at the SUV parked outside and Aidan grinned back as he recognised the voice.

"You know... you sound just like our resident Yank. Henderson. You know... he is the one who told us to check the blood types because it might be a serial killer type scenario" Aidan said and Ianto groaned with growing dismay. "we think he might be writing a book or something, secretive little bugger."

"Don't' say it" Ianto whimpered as he fingered the hem of his too-big shirt "Aidan…please… don't…"

"You know… he said … Open and shut domestic killing." Aidan said with a firm nod of finality "Tickety-boo"

Jack was reaching the report and he froze, looking up at the man "What did you say?"

"Tickety-boo!" Aidan laughed "must have picked it up this side of the ditch."

Jack lowered the file on the screen as Ianto made a noise in his throat, clawing at his clothing as he watched Jack take a step towards Aiden "you know… I used to hear that phrase a lot, but not so much these days…. kinda old fashioned but there is only one person I know that still uses it. Nice to know it still gets around I guess."

"Don't" Ianto whispered to the cold empty cabin "Please… don't"

"Oh I don't' say it. Henderson does.. the Yank."

"Fuck!" Ianto spat with anger.

"Well, I don't care what you two are yanking, I need to see the kill site!" Owen demanded with annoyance "And without photos ya tosser.. we will have to go there. Up the mountain tally ho and all that fucking shit"

.

.

Ianto was packing, keeping one eye on the screens that showed the trials so if and when the Torchwood SUV came this way he had the time to get out of Dodge so to speak. He knew he would have to leave a lot and that chaffed, especially the special things he had got in by mail but… well… he did have the sled which he was filling to tow behind the snow mobile and he just hoped the last good fall-back location was warm enough this time of year. Who knows.

He was unloading the fridge into a chilly bin when the screen on the bottom left flashed and he gasped as he knew that one was close. Fuck, they had evaded the lower one. Wily bastards.

Ianto ran for the garage and was soon powering up the ridge along the tree line looking for the telltale sign if the SUV coming at him but there in the distance he saw the headlights bobbing along and he knew they were on the western trail.

He released the throttle and let the machine cruse quietly down to a low skid as he pondered his next move but he knew deep down that he had to keep going now. No turning back remember? You agreed… keep going at all costs.

Decision made, Ianto gunning the throttle and powered up again, skipping along the snow as he moved away from the camp the SUV was heading to and as they rumbled along in their big black SUV Owen stared morosely out the passenger window, watching the little light bob up and down in the darkness.

"Some other prat is out here in the dark" he muttered to himself and then he sniggered "Maybe it's Sasquatch… maybe he's spotlighting for more campers."

"What was that?" Jack asked as he struggled to see the Heddlu vehicle ahead of them, working up the trial with the snow plough attachment.

"Nothing" Owen sighed back with a pout "No one ever listens to me."

Jack grunted and went back to pondering the weird fact someone else says 'Tickety-boo' and this one seems to be American … so weird when it is such a … well… British thing to say. Jack muttered under his breath with confusion "Tickety-boo? Who says that?"


	5. a tick too late?

Owen was amused in that weird cocky way as he stood at the centre of the camp and looked around "So… these townies came here with blow up mattresses and no pumps… tinned food, no sign of tin openers and lots and lots of booze. I get the feeling if we search we will find oodles of drugs too. They got off their nuts and one decided he was not gonna share anymore, killed the others. Woke up the next morning with confusion, didn't remember and this made the most sense to him. No Big Foot footprints, only his between kill sites, no one else clearly in or out apart from his tracks in the snow…. Ergo… fucktard!"

"Yeeeahhh… you have to admit… it is nice out here" Jack said as he turned slowly taking in the vista, "Would love to live here."

"Henderson is that way if you wanna call in on the way back. We will have to walk it as he is off the road and only a snow mobile can get in all the way but he used it yesterday so there will be a track from the vehicle."

"I want to ask him if he wants a job" Owen said as he glared around the scene "I bet HE would have taken photos to save me this horror of…erghhhh…. Fresh air. Can't be good for you."

"And what is his job again?" Aidan asked Jack as he eyeballed the weird man.

"Doctor" Jack said with a grin before skipping towards the SUV, "Come on… lets go meet Henderson."

.

.

"Looks like we missed him, the garage door is open and the machine is gone. Weird, left in a hurry. Might have seen a deer… good meat up here." Aidan said as they stood in the front yard of Ianto's little cabin.

"Oh well… leave a note or something, he will see our footprints and some mountainfolk are a bit weird about visitors" Gwen said with authority as she looked around.

"Oh no…he's not a local. Like I said, American. Only been here six months, a quick mind and a good joker but… not a country man at all. Says he grew up in the mid-west whatever that means" Aidan said as he pulled out a pad to leave Ianto a note and Owen walked over to peer into the cabin though the window.

"Fire is still going, not been gone that long, maybe an hour or two. Yeah, just missed…" Owen's voice died out as he stood there staring in and the coffee mug on the edge of the table in plain sight seemed to mock him.

He knew that pattern. The blue rings around the white mug, knew them well. The Hub had cups just like those and he broke one once, Ianto so pissed as he snarled that you cannot get them anymore, he had a bulk lot and they were obsolete… demanded he stop fucking throwing them about in anger. One of the rare times he cussed.

Owen was inside the cabin, Aidan still reaching out to place the note on the door that had swung in as Owen slid past to snatch up the cup and turn it over, spilling the half drunk coffee on the floor as he checked the bottom of the cup.

The HRH stamp.

This was a Hub cup. Owen stared and then lowered it to scan the cabin as Aidan stood in the doorway "Excuse me? Sir?"

Owen found the waste paper basket and tipped it on the floor as Aidan looked on with growing alarm "Sir… hey... that is someone's…"

Owen was not listening as he crouched and unfolded the crumpled up parcel labels, reading them and muttering as he rose to his feet, then scanned some more, walking over to open the wardrobe by the bed then he started shoving the hangers of warm clothing aside…. and there, on a hanger was the pristine three piece suit.

Jack was behind him, shoving him out of the way to pull out the suit and stare at it as Owen left him to now open the drawers to the desk, Toshiko already turning on the screens with interest to find the village wired.

"Look at this fling system" Owen said with excitement "Only one person files by colour code, not just alphabet!"

"There he is" she said as a snowmobile shot past the screen, the man leaning over the handlebars egging it on as the trailer behind it waved about in a speed wobble.

"Ianto" Jack whispered as he stood still clutching the suit, the screen now just bare snow and two lines from the tracks.

"Where is this"! Owen swung to face Aidan "Tell me… where is this spot?"

"I… don't know. I can't see any markers or… it's a trail clearly… let me see the others, narrow it down maybe?" Aidan was confused, also not all that happy with the rude demanding tones of these people who had no right to be in Henderson's cabin. There are rules ya know. He stared at hate screens and knew exactly where the snow mobile was heading, he also knew he was not about to tell this group of bullies anything.

"Looks like he is heading towards the lake" he finally said, reaching out to tap the map on the wall, the spot nowhere near where he knew Ianto was going "Here."

You know, the rude bastards didn't even say thanks as they ran for the SUV and peeled out.

Aidan hoped they got stuck.


	6. getting harder to run

Ianto could hear bird sin the distance as he woke and stretched, groaning as the pulling told him to cut that out and he curled up again so his poor stomach muscles could ease.

It had been almost two months since the scare of Torchwood and three shuffles before he found himself here and he rose to walk to the window and peer out over the water. He could see the seagulls dipping on the wind, landing on the water and gossiping amongst themselves.

He smiled as the salt air seemed to soothe and remind him of the quay. Then he walked to the kitchen where he made his one cup a day, rubbing the now large bump as he hummed softly to it, wandering outside to sit on the deck on his little sea shanty and enjoy the view.

He had checked the harbor reports as he wandered past, no boats in the area so he felt comfortable in just his huge shirt that covered bump and felt like a dress. He pondered the last place he had gone to and the scare he got upon arrival to find the spot burned.

.

.

_He slid the key into the lock and felt a weirdness he could not describe, pausing to turn his head and in the distance he saw something glinting in the street lamp's dull light. He removed the key and stepped back, still staring at the glint that he knew had to be a lens or something._

_He kept his head low, the baseball cap over his eyes as he moved back from the steps of the old house and he checked the letterbox, finding three letters in there that he scooped out and moved around the house, along the alleyway to the motorbike he had arrived on, soon roaring off into the night._

_He found a diner and settled to check the mail finding one was for life insurance….yeah funny right… one was about the upcoming election and the third …._

**Ianto**

**If you find this it means I found you. If you have this letter, I have you and there is no point running anymore. Please stay where you are and let me come get you.**

**We can talk about this.**

**Jack**

_Ianto tined the piece of paper over in his hands as he wondered how the hell he knew about this place, then snorted as he knew Toshiko had ferreted it out, as she likely had a few other safe houses he had set up. Fuck. He knew there was possibly to be only a handful she wouldn't have locked down as they were pre Cyberman in T1 and quietly soon would have traced too._

_He rose and chucked some money on the table, then he folded the letter up and leaned over the counter to ask for a toothpick, sliding the letter into the backpack on the seat that belongs to a pretty young thing that would no doubt have a ride sorted with the truck driver she was talking to animatedly. Yeah, he knew paper can be marked with a tracker… he helped make the paper and knew the watermark. Proof that yet again they had o idea of his worth._

_Ianto booked it out of there and found himself trying to think of somewhere that was not previously on his safe house list. There had to be somewhere left to hide. Time was running out._

.

.

Ianto yawned and stretched again, not caring about the stitch marks he was creating. Who cares... who would look at his body's imperfections ever again right? Why care if he added more to the Torchwood medals of honor. He rubbed the bump lovingly and muttered "Little bugger. You better be cute, all I am saying."

The vessel bobbed on the water as Ianto looked around the vast ocean around him and hummed a soft lullaby to the kicking monster within, his hands patting gently as he went over his list of things he had, needed and really wanted.

He had to go in to port one more time before B Day.

He knew he had to get a few more things as purchasing everyone in one place was a red flag, so he had stopped at multiple orts and gathered things. He was unable to bring himself to change the name of the boat (bad luck) so had instead changed dinghies at each stop, swapping them out for others left tied up along the wharf with a hasty rename of the one he was leaving behind. They all looked the same, the weekend fishermen probably not even noticing until weeks later.

The current dingy to be taken in had been a bugbear, the motor faulty, taking twice as long to get back to the boat and he would be glad to swap it over this time for something with a more reliable motor.

.

.

"Anything else pet?" the woman asked as she watched the man grimace and rub his large puffy jacket.

"No thanks ma'am" Ianto said softly "I am just… IBS you know? Irritable Bowl Syndrome. Something the cramps are a doozy."

"Oh, my cousin suffers with that, poor lamb" she shook her head as she packed the things into the bags for him "You OK to carry all this?"

"Yes, the villa I am staying at is just up the way" Ianto smiled as he headed out and turned through several back alleys to get to the wharf, lading in a skiff. He didn't have time for niceties or for real thought. He had to move and he had to have a good boat. This one had been tied a long time, the knot had tightened so he cut it. The line of dust on the controls told him it had been several weeks, even a month or so since anyone had been on here, the beer cans telling him those who had only used it like a man cave or when in the dog house. A fight with the missus, came down here. This boat was not used much, more like a toy. Sure, they would notice it gone in a few days but Ianto would be long gone on his vessel by then.

Right?


	7. Eve

Ianto was glad of the weather, fine and smooth sailing. He had expected a stormy sea and a midnight fumble but instead to his relief it was not like that at all.

He lay on the bed with the trays set up along one side, the other side covered in towels and such for afterwards and he told himself to be brave. He had suffered worse, he had suffered and this was just one more thing to suffer. To recover form and to get over. Come on. Don't' be a pussy.

Ianto took the needle and started to inject his stomach across where he knew he had to cut, his hands shaking at first but soon calm as he focused on the task, the mirrors all over the room helping him track his movements.

He then waited for the local anesthetic to take effect, poking at himself now and then before deciding that was good enough. "OK munchkin… time to do this. Help Taddy out here."

He cut across himself, the pillows behind him to help hold him up in a half sitting position helping him reach as he felt the gush of fluids over his lower half and he grimaced as he hoped the plastic sheeting would hold it all. He then felt the little hand that had popped out grab his. Oh god. Stop dillydallying. Get her out. He carefully maneuvered and pulled, the pain not surprising as he only froze the extraction site and his mind roared with the indignity of it as he tried not to pass out, pulling the baby out to lay her on the towels.

It WAS a girl. He had felt that all along and now he looked at her with a strange feeling of detachment.

Focus.

Ianto wrapped her quickly and left her crying as he clipped off the umbilical cord and cut it, then started to scoop out the rest of the gross stuff from his body, the afterbirth landing in the plastic and several ripped up towels used to try and muck out the body cavity before he started to shakily sew up his stomach.

"No Picasso" he muttered then sniggered "Maybe in the weird drug stage."

He knew he had to finish, he was fading fast as the pain washed over him in waves now, the local anesthetic worn off to and he grabbed the stapler to he finish the job before he passed out.

Open and shut. Tickety boo!

.

.

Crying.

Ianto groaned as he came to, the baby now yelling with confusion as her little arms waved and Ianto reached out, and then groaned with agony as he looked down at the mess that was himself. He had managed to close himself but was still leaking. Fuck. Baby first.

He lifted the bindle to his breast and offered her the boob, not even sure if it would work and she seems as confused as he was. "No?" he tried again and after a few arguments her anger subsided and she latched on. God, he was so relieved as he read this can sometimes take a lot of practice. She was so hungry though and as she suckled he felt a strange tugging that was almost comforting.

She popped off and stared at him, a little drool of milk from the corner of her mouth. Holy hit… milk. He really was lactating. How about that. Ianto knew he was lying in filth, he knew a lot of things were wrong but staring into those vividly blue eyes he knew if nothing else, his daughter was perfect.

"You have your daddy's eyes" he said, swallowing back tears as he thought of Jack then dismissed it as selfish to wallow. He placed the baby back on the clean towels and checked she could not roll in a swell before he forced himself to pull back the bedding and look at the degusting mess that was his bed. "Ergh."

He gingerly got out of the bed, stopping to breathe through the pain and finally got to his feet, gripping the edge of the bed as he dropped sheets to walk on, the thought of dropping filth on the floor gross. The little shower in the corner of the room was great, he could still see the baby as he quickly hosed himself down with the hand attachment, not caring that the water made the sutures sting. Then he shuffled back to the bed, laying down more plastic on the floor to pull the soiled bedding into, the dull slap of wet bedding gross to hear and his stomach rolled. Nope. Don't do that. He then pulled the corners together and folded the mess up as best he could, then lifted it with a soft groan of pain, carrying it up out onto the deck where he flicked the entire thing over the side.

He then stumbled back down to the now uncovered bed, the baby on the other side of the mattress staring at him with silent confusion.

"I know… get used to it… Taddy is a bit nuts princess" Ianto said as he pulled another duvet from the storage cupboard and laid it on the bed not caring about sheets as he clambered into it and rolled it over himself like a cocoon.

Soon he was asleep.

His daughter lay there regarding him for amount or two, her little eyes roving around the cabin as if searching for something before she slept as well.

The boat sat low in the drink, the waves slapping against the hull as it soothed the two weary travellers in side.

In a brave new land.


	8. messy

"Come on Sweetie" Ianto crooned as he breastfed the baby, tilting his head back to enjoy the sun. Not much more going to be around today with the dark clouds on the horizon and the weather report full of foreboding doom. Ianto was pondering a port as she burped and told him she was done. He smiled as he looked at her sweet face, his tears over the circumstances of their life more than dried up as he realized he had moments of pure wonderful with her.

Ianto smiled as he checked her bum and then took her below to the little bed he had made for her by emptying out the bottom two drawers and smashing the bottom out of the top of the two so she had a nice little two drawer high crib that was able to be pushed closed in a storm. It was lined with soft bedding and was a sweet little nest that she seemed to be quite fond of and he knelt to place her in it as his stitches bit. Like her Daddy, likes small spaces. Been a week since the birth and a few stitches had popped with his activeness so he knew he should check the wound site before any more exertions. He patted her little belly as she lay there drifting off "There, there Evie. Good night little one."

He rose leaving Eve asleep now, making his way topside to check the charts and make for a nearby port. He had to tie up for this one, not some little summer squall, no…a storm was coming that could sink a vessel out on the water and he knew it was time to get more provisions as well.

.

.

He was not sure how to feel as he watched him walk through the market, his coat flying as he laughed and pointed at something then stopping to swing and motion for Gwen to catch up as she struggled get get past someone selling something.

Ianto stood transfixed, his arms protectively over the bundle in the front pack as Jack turned to look for Owen, scanning the crowd in the marketplace. Ianto instinctively swung around to face away and stared straight into the face of Owen Fucking Harper who stood not five yard away with a piece of tat in his hands.

"Hello Ianto mate" Owen said with a slow blink of surprise.

"Hello Doctor Harper" Ianto replied with a blink of his own, the little bindle squeaking as her legs kicked, confused by the way her Taddy was squeezing her and Owen's eyes tracked from Ianto's face to the little booties.

"Fuck" Owen said with wide eyes as he stared then looked up at Ianto who was so pale he might be a ghost, as much as seen one.

"Don't" Ianto whispered "Please Owen. Don't call out to him."

Owen pointed at Ianto's bundle "What the actual fuck is that T-Boy?"

Jack could see them, stepping around Gwen as he tried to see who Owen was talking to instead of answering his coms as he reached up to tap his coms again, signaling time to leave and caught the tail end of the sentence "… uck is that T-Boy?"

Toshiko swing from the negotiations with the elderly man for the modulator, to see Owen as well, the man he was talking to was in a huge coat and a bobble hat, Owen's face full of surprise as he said "Really? Holy shit… this is why you… wow. Jack is gonna have a fucking cow when he sees this Ianto!"

Jack started to run, dropping the piece of tat he had been fiddling with to let it bounce on the ground and Ianto heard the thunk, turning his head to see Jack running towards him at speed and he spun out, turning to duck the other way, slamming Owen to one side as he ran for his daughter's life.

Owen shoved Gwen off as she tried to help him up, running after the two men as they slammed out of the marketplace, Eve upset from the jostling starting to cry. Jack heard the faint cries of a baby and slowed his pace, the confusion now raw as Ianto slammed into walls with his back and bounced off, turning so that for a moment the baby was visible… clearly visible in her little sunhat and bootees, her pale arms clinging to him as he glanced back at Jack with open fear. Such fear, then he was running again.

Jack found himself and started to run as well but as he exploded into the alleyway …. in to another market place he knew he had lost him when he saw the bobble hat on the ground where it had fallen and a lone bootie lay a few feet away.

Ianto was like the wind.

.

.

Jack would not release the bootie but Owen had managed to extract the bobble hat while a quick scan showed it was clearly Ianto's the DNA in the strands of hair unmistakable.

Jack held the tiny bootie and looked at it, such a pretty pale candy-floss pink. He kept replying Ianto's face over and over in his mind. The fear, the abject terror as he had made eye contact, the little baby clutched so possessively as he had run. He became aware of raised voices and finally looked up from Ianto's daughter's little booty to find Owen and Gwen squaring off.

"You know we were to detain him at all costs" she roared.

"He had a fucking baby strapped to him, what should I do Cooper?" Owen demanded "Shoot them? Would that have been the right thing to o? Used the tazer and hoped I got him not the baby's little body? Or maybe just use my sidearm and put them both down. Tell me Miss Fucking Expert tell me how to stop a terrified man rampaging about with a newborn on his chest!"

"Stop it" Jack said as he rose, his voice full of weariness and sorrow "Just… stop it."

"We were so close this time, we were not even there looking for him and… this means there is hope right? Maybe next time he will let us speak to him?" Toshiko said as she reached out to comfort but Jack was already moving away with an anger he could not quell as she called after him "An entire planet to hide in but he does not leave. He has not left Jack… still here… just out of reach… there has to be a reason he has not simply left all together."

So close.

Close enough to tell that Ianto would never come back to him. Whatever the reason Ianto could not bring himself to leave Wales… it could not be out of love.


	9. Jack gets the picture

Jack reached for his VM and hit the button to bring up the note.

Not the official one left on the desk but the one in the candy drawer. The personal one that was no one else's business and he read it again with a heavy heart.

.

.

_Dear Jack_

_I am so sorry for this. Have you ever loves someone so fully, so completely you would follow them into fire? Run towards bullets for them? Have you ever been ready to die for that love?_

_I never knew love like that existed. Not until now. I now understand the term 'dying of a broken heart' and I am so sorry that it has come to this but I has no choice. I had to try. Had saved up enough to pay Doctor Tanizaki for his time and treatment to get Lisa back on her feet, so I could release her._

_You see… this silly little 19_ _th_ _Century ape is only capable of one true love. One, completely unforgettable true love and I found it. For a moment I found it, held it in my hand and knew the overwhelming despair of it, knowing it could never last._

_I was going to free her, release her and let her go. Since coming to Cardiff I have not loved anyone else, my waning affection for Lisa so raw as I had it all worked out to put her in a safe house and apologize to her, explain tht I had found another who was so much more than I thought I could ever hope to find. She would have understood, I am sure of that. Freedom the price for me? She would have let me go._

_I am so sorry Jack. I knew the inescapable heat of love and know I held it too tightly in my hand and it has burned me._

_I am ready to face my losses knowing that at least knew true love._

_Love from_

_Ianto._

.

.

Jack read it several times with a heavy heart, scolding himself for reading it wrong and thinking this was about him. How could he be so stupid. Ianto had someone else this entire time, some woman out there waiting for him, his rushed attempt to get rid of Lisa for her and the unborn child he had probably only just leaned of.

"You should have come to me" Jack whispered, sniffling back a traitorous tear that surprised him. Was it shame in being so bloody arrogant as to have thought Ianto loved him? Or sorrow that someone else clearly held his heart instead.

"Jack?"

Jack looked up morosely at Owen who was leaning against the doorframe with a look of extreme annoyance. Like… looking like himself.

"Owen?"

"What do you want me to do?"

Jack leaned back, one finger rolling over the VM's closed flap as he stared at Owen then she said softly "Let him go. Sign him out as deceased, no body."

"Really?" Owen asked with surprise "You throwing this one back Ahab?"

Jack snorted and nodded "He found something I could not give him. Someone out there loves him and … he is needed by that woman and her child. No… he deserves some peace after the shitty life he had under the umbrella of Torchwood. Sign him out."

Owen nodded and turned to leave, then looked back "For what it is worth… when he saw you … for a moment… he almost looked pleased before the fear set in."

Jack nodded and sighed "And shut the door. Tell them to go home, I want to be quiet for a while."

.

.

"Jack?"

"I told you to go home!" Jack said with annoyance as he looked up from the folder in his office chair to find not only Owen but Toshiko there with matching looks of doom.

"Oh god… what is it now? Gwen lost again?"

"I went to sign Ianto out like you said, told Tosh to do the shut down on his file while I did the medical bit and… apparently he had started it that night. He erased everything on the main server but Mainframe… well… to be hopeful she had saved a draft and brought it up." Owen glanced a Toshiko who made a motion with her hand for him to tell him and Jack felt a strange twist in his gut as he rose to meet them. Owen sighed and then said "His blood works were there and he had started his own medical shut down for me and…well… shit."

"His blood showed several anomalies that did not make sense so Owen asked me to double check it all, in case this was a matter of cross contamination or something" Toshiko took over as she saw Owen was unable to continue "It shows markers in his blood that are… unusual."

"Like?"

"Like… not only testosterone but… estrogen. Also… the test for pregnancy came back positive." She let Jack stand there blinking as he took a deep breath that was more of a shuddered gasp of pain then she continued "I checked the preliminary scans Owen did while he was still on the floor ignoring us and it confirms the blood tests… we never check, never did the follow-ups because you told us to hold off. So. We didn't know. Jack… the child is his. Biologically… he was pregnant that night. He saw, that is why he ran. After starting to prepare for death he found traces of a pregnancy and… that is why he ran."

"The baby … well. Mate. His blood showed strange markers that I had only seen once before and I double checked against Mainframe and… the little flecks of gold match your own sample of weird. Looks like T-Boy was carrying your child when he ran from us that night."

"Jack" Toshiko whispered with open sorrow as Jack's face betrayed his horror "That little girl is your daughter. That's why he will not leave… he … I think he watches you."


	10. a fly in the ointment

Jack stood in the square that had recently held a panicking Welshman, slowly turning in a circle as he tried to work out where he went. Gwen held the Ghost Device and swallowed before engaging it and she watched Ianto springing along an alleyway, running after the vision with ease as the team followed her.

Jack knew this was his fault, the piece of equipment under his bed to stop fertility clearly not calibrated for humans and he had misjudged badly. Like… wow. Clearly green is no and red is yes… who would have thought. Well… he knew he had a lot to apologize for, that is for sure.

She ran along another alleyway, over a fence and though a back lot, then across several roads until she reached the docks and Jack slowed as he knew they had lost him.

Gwen reached the mooring and stood there looking at the empty spot, then turned to them "A boat. Big, bulky… it looked like a pleasure cruiser bit old. Sturdy though. He had some clothes on the top of the wheelhouse drying in the sun including nappies."

"Did you get the name of the boat?" Jack asked, glad it was a berth large enough for a cruiser to dock at as he now knew the spate of dingy swaps had to have been Ianto and had this been another dingy swap he was toast. To have caught up with him when the actual boat made a rare appearance was a boon. "Gwen?"

"Infinity" she said after consideration "And the infinity symbol under the name."

"Right. He will not change it, bad luck and we know Ianto has a thing about luck. Right… so… he is on the Infinity. Ideas?"

"I thought we were going to let him go, released him to the wilds and cut out losses" Gwen said with a frown "Why the change of heart?"

"The baby" Owen said "And shut up."

She stared at him and frowned "What? He's jealous of the other woman or something?"

"Gwen!" Jack barked so loud everyone jumped "Shut the fuck op and do your job for fucksake."

She stared at him with shock, then turned to walk over to a group of fishermen, asking questions as Jack stood on the dock and wondered if Ianto was OK. Did he have enough to eat? Had he got what he needed before he was startled away like a gazelle from a watering hole.

Fuck it.

"He will be OK" Toshiko said as she hooked Jack's hand in a rare display of affection "This is Ianto. Mister Three Steps Ahead would not have come in for supplies unless he had enough for a cut and run. You know him. Enough spare to last for a few more stops if need be. Mister End of the World."

"I know but…" Jack sighed, not finishing his sentence as he stared off over the water and wondered if Ianto was OK. And the little one.

.

.

"Come on Evie, what is it love?" Ianto crooned but Eve was not exactly able to tell him as she lay there limp and clammy. Ianto did not like this at all and he gathered her to him, letting her lay on his bare chest as she snuffled into him for comfort.

Something was wrong and he was buggered if he knew what.

He pondered and knew he had only a few choices, if her temperature rose any more it would limit things further and he could only hope that naked except for a nappy overnight with a nervous Taddy watching over her would be enough to break the fever.

.

.

"Name!"

"Gareth." Ianto said as he handed over his fake ID "Gareth Smith. This is Evelyn Smith. She is fourteen weeks old and just… not eating. Her temperature kept going up in the night and is now going back down."

"OK Mister Smith, you and your little one can come with me, is there a Missus Smith joining us?" the grandmotherly nurse asked as she led Ianto along, smiling at the pretty little girl in hr Taddy's arms. So forward, clever and alert. Awwww.

"Died in childbirth, just us I am afraid" Ianto said with a sorrowful sigh that instantly made the nurse feel motherly towards him. Poor boy. She had been in this game for over thirty years and knew the hallmarks of a lost soul, wanting to protect this poor boy that didn't seem to have any family to help. What a terrible world sometimes.

Ianto settled on the bed and placed Eve down, gently removing clothing until she was again only in her nappy and she stared up at him silently, her mouth in a thin lie to show her annoyance at the lack of motion. She missed the boat's rocking and Ianto smiled softly as he knew it, scooping her up at walk around gently rocking her until her frown bled away.

"Mister Smith, ah… hello little one" the doctor crooned, smiling as she looked at the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Pools of deep thought. "My goodness, what a sweet little girl. Sorry you are feeling yucky. Let me see?"

Ianto let them examine her, standing back with his hands wringing in the corner as he looked at the camera's red light blinking up in the far corner, his fear growing with each red bling of the light.

Facial recognition would have him within half an hour if it was still set to check for him and if he knew Toshiko… it was.

"Looks like a little milk fever, might need to change the formula Mister Smith. Her nappy tells of a tummy upset that might be linked to that too. I will give you some gripe water to drip on her tongue and we will try goat's milk, OK?" Laurie said as she seized his jacket off the chair for him. A little jab of antibiotics to be sure, yes?"

"Thank you" Ianto said as he gratefully scoped his daughter up, "Ah… can I get that to go? Sorry to be rude but… my lawyer needed to see me… my wife's estate still being sorted and… I hate being late. Her family hate me and… well… any excuse while fighting me for this one."

"Oh!" the nurse said with horror, poor boy. "Here, I will sort that out sweetie, come on follow me. Doctor, I need a script, I can fill it from the trolley and refill it from the pharmacy later. Let's get him out of here before we give them any ammunition against him."

Ianto was out of there running for the back alley way as his hair stood up on the back of his neck and he knew he was cutting it fine but he was so relieved she was OK, it had been worth the risk.

.

.

Toshiko slumped in her chair, chewing her pencil as she dreamed of coffee that came with a chockie bickie on the side like…. The little blinking message had her curious so she clicks and the facial recognition software filled the screen, Ianto's face full of fear as he stood in a hospital room, his baby on a bed being looked over by medical staff as he looked straight at the camera.

"JACK!"

.

...

.

For those asking, my youngest shithead got evicted last weekend and I spent the week moving him home, spring cleaning his room and trying to fit a full grown man's gaming station and gaming chair in… my god… those things are HUGE and I still have crap everywhere as my craft/storage room is now his room again. I have been moving heavy boxes and furniture, pushing through with sheer temper and stubbornness and have sprained my wrist. Tendonitis. Doctor shakes head and says "how old are you again?" "49" "And the boy?" "Ah… 28?" "And he helped?" SNORT

Lucky for you that this was already written, just needing editing before posting each chap as those chapters I need to write for other WIPs need to wait SIGH… and this is your last chapter for tonight… more tomorrow if you are lucky xxxx 7pm… time to rest the wrist


	11. contact

"No."

"what?" Owen said as the nurse stared him down.

"I want to speak to the doctor that spoke with him NOW!" Jack demanded, flaunting his badge and the nurse haughtily reached for the phone "Doctor Laurie to reception please. Doctor Laurie."

The doctor approached and saw the official looking badges, the demands and above all… the high heels on the woman supposed to be some sort of secret police. Right. They all wear heels right? She remembered what the poor man had said about his dead wife's family and knew deep down this was something to do with them.

"I just need to see the medical chart!" Owen said still arguing with the nurse.

"The patient was seen, is fine and you do not need to be involved" Doctor Laurie said with anger "Leave that poor man alone!"

"I am his sister" Gwen tried with a look of wide eyed innocence.

"Nice try. He told me he was all alone. His exact words were doing all by meself' the poor lad" the nurse blurted out, then looked away as Owen looked at her and deftly hooked the patient chart drawer open, looking for Jones but not finding it, he then pondered as he mouthed at Tosh.

Toshiko stepped forward and said softly "We know he is a very troubled young man, please. His wife's death hit him hard and… I am worried about him. We went through school together, his wife Lisa and me. I promised her, I promised that I would take care of him. Delicate you see, you must have seen that, so gentle and sweet. Like a deer loose in a jungle full of tigers. I am so scared for him, he will be doing his best but also sacrificing for her."

"Look… Mister Smith was tired, looked more than a little upset but… she was a lovely little specimen." Doctor Laurie said, catching the grimace across the handsome man's face as he watched from the side. Something she said had insulted him?

Smith. Owen looked for files on the edge of the desk not yet filed away. Smith. HAHHHHHH. Owen slid it out and into his jacket, turning to wander off like he had not just snatched medical records like a damned thief.

In the SUV he flicked it open to read "temperature elevated, looks like a reaction to something. Maybe something he ate passed on … could be the upset of seeing us. His milk a little more sour.. looks like the doctor agrees and told him to try goat's milk instead. Huh. I see they gave him a few samples to try and bub some antibiotics … wow. Didn't' know they still gave those, he must have appeared so upset for them to give that over… right… she is a good length, all her fingers and toes…awwwww… a little birthmark behind her left knee."

Jack drank it in as Owen spoke, and then he snorted "A note here that says the father appears a little overly protective of his young. I would say so too. When you factor in that he is mama too.. of course he will be ready to cut a bitch."

"Got it" Gwen suddenly said with glee "The Infinity… listed here as vessels moored outside the harbour… yesterday!"

Jack put his foot down as thy drove like maniacs for the pier even as he knew she would be long gone along with her precious cargo. So close… they were getting so close.

.

.

Eve seemed to perk up with the goat's milk and Ianto felt relief. Clearly his milk was not good enough, maybe he was not eating enough, or the right things. Possible… after all… he is a man so no tiling how much goodness there is in his milk anyway right? Owen would have known.

She still sought him at night for that last feed though, something comforting to them both as he settled in the large rocking chair that moved along with the boat and he watched her snuffle into his chest hair once she had popped off the tit.

The radio was playing soft music that he was humming to then it cut out and a voice filled the cabin.

" _Sea Cruiser Infinity, this is the Sea Queen II. Can you read me over?"_

Ianto sat listening with shock as Jack's voice came back.

" _Sea Cruiser Infinity, this is the Sea Queen II, Ianto? Are you OK? Is she OK?"_

Ianto looked at the baby asleep in his arms and sighed, tears threatening as he closed his eyes and let his head tip back, willing that voice to fill his life again.

" _Ianto… it's OK. I am not mad. I am sorry you were scared and sorry you did not trust me to help you… to love you. To love her. Please Ianto… not again. Not another child snatched away before I am revealed to them as a freak. Do you think so little of me that you think I would harm her?"_

Ianto was horrified as he stared at the radio like it was a rattle snake. What? Not… not trust him with her? Is he mad?

"Jack? Is it not that I didn't trust you to love her… I knew you had to kill me and that would kill her. I knew you didn't' love me, wouldn't want to look at me for eight months while I finished growing her and the thought of dying once she was born… to know you would hand her over to someone else to raise because I wss forfeit… I couldn't. I am so sorry Cariad" Ianto sobbed as he spoke into the microphone "you… you were so much... everything and this way… this way a little piece of you is still with me and she comforts me, your eyes… your mouth too. She is going to be a mouthly little gobshite when she starts talking, I just know it i… I can't miss that. I love you Jack. I will always love you but… that's just it, don't you see? She will love me back."

Ianto turned off the radio and fired up the engine, pushing the throttle as he let the huge caterpillar engine roar and he made for another cove far away from the point of that transmission back to him.

Ianto knew it had been wrong to respond but… he had to say it to him just once, jus that once without seeing Jack pull that face of annoyance without a response.

I love you Jack.


	12. time passes and Ianto is tired

"EVIE!" Ianto yelled as he scanned the crowd, his face one of pure anger.. well what you could see over the beard as he checked again "You little devil, I will find you and when I do… I will bloody throttle you!"

Someone laughed as they heard the eternal cry of a parent, rising to look as well "Lost your kid smate?"

"My daughter. Two years old and learnt that running from Taddy is always a good idea."

"Christ… two and already a trickster? Poor man" someone else said and soon they were all checking for him, the stall owners looking under their tables at well. Ianto was staring to panic, she usually popped up by now with a squeal of glee but this was taking too long.

There.

Ianto started for her with relief that was sort lived as a police officer turned to face him with a look of anger "Are you this one's father?"

"Yes" he stammered "Sorry, slipped my grip"

"Do you know how many children are abducted each year from places like this?" the man was on a roll as he sneered at Ianto "Now I think we need to have a little chat with…"

Nope.

Ianto had seen the other officer approaching with a look of thunder as well, no doubt radioed and told of the lost child and the last thing he needed was astint at the station while Child Services were calked to check he was not insane.

Ianto reached out and snatched up his child then said brightly "There's her mother. She was supposed to be watching her … thanks so much. Everything is Tickety Boo. She is such an airhead."

The two officers tined as one to stare at the pretty blonde woman on the other side of the market place talking someone with her mouth wide, laughing gaily and the man snorted as he muttered "Typical."

Ianto was already gone before they turned back, the jacket hastily shrugged off and drooped on a clothing stall so they did not know the colour of his clothing and the little girl held in front of him so they could not see her over his shoulder.

Ianto ran.

It was later on the boat that he scolded her gently as he handed her a slice of apple "and if they wanted to keep you? Hmmm? Taddy would not be allowed you back. They would have taken you away and I would cry and cry and cry an never see you again."

She sat with wide eyes, the apple half way to her mouth as she stared at him and he added "I am not angry with you Eve, just so very upset that you did that again. I know you forget, I forgive you because I know you forgot the promise not to do it again but darling… one day you will lose me and they will have you."

"Sowy" she said with her lip wobbling in such a way that he felt like shit for upsetting her.

His heartbeat was almost back to moral.

.

.

"She's a lovely boat… are you sure?" the man asked as he ran his hand over the polished brass.

"She is a lovely boat, seen me through some storms but I have a little boy and he needs grass to run on. A dog to play with and the life of a sea pirate is great in the books but not so much when your child is having a tantrum below deck and you are too busy turning into a squall." Ianto sighed, Eve standing nearby with boy's clothes on and a look of thunder as she hated pretending. Also… she knew it was her fault they were leaving the boat. She had to stop running away.

Soon they were heading across town to another yard, this one making her eyes widen as Ianto paid the Uber driver and gave an extra 20 for him to forget he had them on board. Helped to speak a little galactic standard and mention of being a Torchwood Wanted made the humanoid nod and tap his nose.

"Wow" Ianto said softly as he stared at the campervan.

"It has two beds, little bathroom here with built in shower, kitchenette, this folds out to become an awning room here for summer sleeping outside… it's a lovely camper. My cousin tells me you are willing to pay cash?" the man said, pulling up his pants and staring at Ianto intently. Ianto nodded, the Uber driver not the only one who was here illegally and Ianto knew it.

"Gergi said you would make a deal with me… considering our hared dislike for a certain place starting with T and ending with wood." Ianto said as he lifted Eve to see inside the unit and she squealed as she ran inside to explore.

"Yeah. He told you my price?"

"Yeah, a bit steep but.. I can do it. I will have to cut back for him but…" Ianto grimaced as he nodded after Eve and the man turned to watch a little hand slap at the window as she waved and wanted to be waved to.

"Lovely little fella, what's his name?"

"Jax"

"right. Well… I will throw in that motorbike over there, it fits on the bike frame on the back. Was gonna fiddle around with it but… it means once you have this parked up you can go about and leave it set up" the man finally offered, Ianto pleased with this as he had not expected to beat him down much more than a few hundred. He had to really count his coins, the money from the boat would only last so long and the bank account was low too.

He drove off the lot and to the nearest hardware store, purchasing as many tins of spray paint he could, then to the next one for more. Once he had almost emoted the place of white paint he drove to a car wash and parked inside it for the night, everything shut down and everyone gone, just him in the bay, he washed it down and waited for it to dry before he started to spry paint over the yellow bottom half of the bodywork.

By morning a snow white Camper was on the road heading towards the countryside, Eve still asleep in the bed in the back.

Ianto stopped at the train station, checked she was asleep and reluctantly locked her in then headed inside. He then headed to the bathroom, changed clothes and put on a baseball cap before leaving to go to the storage lockers and remove his last go-pack.

His very last one.

Now it would be do or die, now everything he owned was going to be inside that camper van inclining all the money they had left.

He had to make this one the last one.

He had to settle.


	13. a familiar...ish face

Ianto woke and staggered from the bed to wander through the camper to the coffee machine, flicking it on as he cursed the thing not being on already.

"Eve? Did you unplug my bloody coffee machine again?" he roared looking into the awning area where his daughter sat playing with her little toy cars. She ignored him of course. Stupid question. Of course she did. Had to charge her tablet….DUH… so much like her father.

He sighed and stepped outside as he waited for it to come to the boil and make elixir, walking past her dirt track she made for her little toy motorbike to reach far trees to pee. No need to fill the tank if he doesn't have to right? He looked around the little clearing he had found in the woods and smiled to himself as he lingered for the birdsong and enjoyed the morning breeze reminding him that he was only in his shorts. He made a mental note to send some updated photos to Jack of Eve with her little plastic motorbike she could ride like a demon… the pictures and small things he sent via fake email addresses always relieved by Mainframe and passed on. He wondered if Jack looked at them, hoped he saw himself in their child. God… he missed him still, even if the smell on that shirt in the snap-lock bag was fading. Each photo with not markers or distinguishing backgrounds, he was sure the little face grinning up was the most important thing…. Still alive… still here… still OK. I love you. I miss you. I am so sorry. Ianto sighed as he rubbed his face. He had seen a flash of him the night before on a newsfeed, striding past behind the reporter and he had looked…. Good.

"Tadda" Eve called, her little three year old voice warning him she was not happy and he turned as he blinked away traitorous tears to find something standing there regarding him that was clearly NOT from around here.

"Bugger" he said softly as he raised his hands to show they were empty, he then tried some rusty Galactic Standard "Friendly. No worries."

It regarded him, then turned it's head to the child inside the mesh. Then it tined and started to walk back into the trees as Ianto let out his breath and he motioned for Eve to get inside, slowly walking towards her as he tried not to look back at the thing he knew was still watching him "Inside love, there we go. It's OK now."

The faint sound of sirens filtered on the breeze and he cursed, now inside and slicing the chords to the awning as the thing bellowed at the sound and took off in the trees. "fuck … fuck…fuck… a Dorvit. Fucking Dorvit… how the hell did that get here, so far from a rift flare… fuck."

"Tadda?"

"It's OK love, it's not going to hurt us in here, can't open doors" Ianto said as he raked his brain for what to do, too scared to go back out to gather up the toys and things so they could leave. "No one can see us in here, not from the road."

"But he can" she pointed out the back window and Ianto turned his head to look at the man standing there with his head canted to one side.

Ianto opened the door and stepped out to stare the man who was now slowly walking towards him, two others following at a distance "Hello there... did you see a big purple rhino stumble through here?"

"A Dorvit. Yes, he was a bit pissy" Ianto relied "Hello Doctor."

The Doctor frowned, then pointed a finger "Mister Jones! From Torchwood… my my. Fancy seeing you here."

"Retied" Ianto said firmly, "It went that way."

"Right" he turned as if to follow it then he looked back at Ianto "You know… I am not the one you knew."

"I know… two more faces since then?"

"Three actually… believe it or not, the last one was a woman. Yeah… I quite liked that… liberating." The Doctor grinned "But you knew it was me straight away didn't you!"

"Sonic screwdriver" Ianto pointed out "And River had a lipstick one."

"Ah" the Doctor frowned "Met her did you? When? No... wait… don't' tell me. Spoilers."

Eve had slid around the doorframe as they talked and the Doctor had lowered the screwdriver to his side so Ianto did not notice until it made a noise and the Doctor lifted it with interest to examine, Ianto staring back with horror to find Even there.

"Well now... that IS interesting" the doctor said to himself as he looked at the child, then Ianto "really… I did warn him about spreading his oats ya know but he is such a free spirit. Has been looking for you though, reluctant to even go on a little trip with me, scared he might miss a chance to see another bit of her…. Eve. Right? My, he really should keep it in his pants."

"He's not part of this" Ianto said as he motioned Eve back with a calm hand wave "We don't' talk anymore."

"Pity. Last time I saw him he told me you were the love of his life. He said he had done something to scare you and you left him high and dry. Morosely sobbing into his hypervodka as he told me you would not speak to him. Seemed most bereft." The Doctor shared as he pursed his lips "If I have learnt one thing in my time… my hundreds of years flitting about… it is that time… waits for no man and you might be able to change given the time to but time will never change for you. Make the most of what you have young man. And as for that one… she has the look of her father to her so sooner or later... that will come to a head. Either way."

"I know" Ianto sighed as he glanced back "I just want one more day.. always one more day before I hand her to him and … well… kneel."

"Why do you think that is your only option?" the Doctor laughed as he shook his head "You apes think so one dimensionally don't you. You're the giver of life, the provider of his child… you seriously think he could possibly hurt you? For one, his child would never forgive him and he would never risk her little heart to break over losing you. She needs you, even if he is angry with you for this... he would never hurt you. All those who have run from him with children know this, for he always gave them all he could when they would accept it even knowing they would never let him see the child. His saddest truth. He is not allowed to be a father because he is a freak. But I thought you were different Mister hone… of all those who have lived in his orbit… you know full well that he would NEVER harm you. It is yourself you still punish, not him."

Ianto watched the doctor wander off and wondered if he was right.

All this time running from Jack… he was running from his own truth?

He feared not being good enough to keep him?


	14. Need a hero?  Use the Jack Phone.

Ianto parked and let Eve out to run around the campground, excited to see other children thera already and soon the laughter of little ones filled the playground. A lovely balmy time of year, perfect for mixing with others and letting his little one be just another kid again… for a while he could hide in plain sight, right?

"Hello there" a woman called out as she watched Ianto set down the stabilizing feet to his camper "I am Lilly."

"Ianto" Ianto said in return "Hi. That's Eve being a monkey over there."

"Welsh" she said "Lovely. We are from Sweden, here travelling for six months, so far it's been lovely."

"It is, I've travelled the world ya know ... before her. Now I just want be home" Ianto sighed and did not add (close to him) as he settled at a picnic table and picked at the faded wood "I am back to see my ex. We parted badly and I don't know if it will be a nice reunion of a 'throw things' kinda one. She is asking questions and … I can't stave off the inevitable I guess. I always knew in the end I would have to bite the bullet."

"God" she grimaced "Sounds messy."

"Live always is" Ianto nodded wistfully, grinning as he watched Eve flick from the bars like she was so much older than her little three year old self.

"She has gorgeous dark hair, look at that big flop in front" she smiled.

"Her father's hair" Ianto nodded "He looks like a movie star, all smoldery and sexy."

She stared then said in a small voice "oh."

"Surrogate" Ianto explained quickly "I did the raising of her, he provided the jizz and the attitude it seems. It's him I have come to see, to let her meet him so she understands why she is different to me. She asks so many questions and…well… I hate lies."

She relaxed and smiled again as he made sense, the weird feeling evaporating as she looked back at the kids "Well… if you need to go see him without her in tow… best leave her with us. You know… feeling the water before introducing her might be a good idea."

Ianto nodded as he wondered if that was the right thing to do. OR if turning up without her would seal his fate.

.

.

"Tadda" Eve whispered in the dark and Ianto grunted, rolling over in his bed before a little hand grabbed his head and yanked the handful of hair, making him yelp. "TADDA!"

"Christ on a Harley" Ianto said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes "Better be a fucking bogeyman for this!"

"There is" she said with wide eyes "Look. He's ugly and snarly."

Ianto got to the window and peered out as she clutched her little dog to her, her eyes wide as the dog growled low in his throat.

"Shut up Owen" Ianto muttered to the little Jack Russell "Not helping."

"Hush Owie" she whispered patting the little brown head as the Jack Russell looked out the window with wild eyes and Ianto let his eyes focus as he finally saw the reason lurking near the shower block.

"Ahhhhh fuck. You have go to be joking" Ianto sighed to himself "A weevil?"

Ianto sat back knowing this was it. It had to come sooner to rather… now the Doctor saw him it was only a matter of time so… Ianto made a noise if alarm as he saw the door of the shower block open and Lilly stepped out with her little boy, talking to him without noticing the weevil that had frozen to watch them head back to their camper near Ianto's.

"Eve… get the emergency phone and use it. Tell them a Weevil is here and Taddy has to save the lady OK?" Ianto said as he slid out the door, and Eve nodded, moving to the drawer where the special phone was. Tadd had trained her over and over again in how to use it, never turning it on but making her punch the keys and say the words like they were playing a game. This was no game, this was the real thing and she was her father's daughter as she pushed the 'Don't touch' button and watched the screen light up, then she pushed it to ring the only number in the memory.

She listened until a voice answered on the other end, the speaker phone already on to make it easier for her little hands "Hello? Is that Daddy?"

Silence.

Then… "Eve?"

"Taddy said to call you and tell you it is the Bad Day Today. A Weevily is here in the camping ground and he is gonna eat the lady called Lilly and her little boy coz he had to use the loo in the dark. Taddy had gone to save her and told me I have to ring you and tell you to come because it's you turn to be a hero."

Silence, then a soft noise of a breath taken then… "Eve darling. Tell Daddy where you are?"

"The Camping Ground Daddy. In Cardiff, by the sports ground Silly. W are next door so you are close for me. Taddy said we were going to come visit you and not just peek at you like normal, really meet and have ice cream or something but the Weevilly is here now so you have to come to us, OK?"

"Sweetheart… my darling sweetie, stay there. Stay there love and keep the door shut, Daddy is coming. Can you see Taddy?"

"He has a stick and it telling off the Weevilly man but he is still trying to grab the little boy. His name is Nathan and he is a nice boy. I locked the door like Taddy said to so... are you coming Daddy?"

"Yes love I am in the SUV, we are coming to you" Jack said and in the background someone was talking, yelling instructions and directions as he tried to find the campground on the map.

"Shut up Owen!" she scolded her dog who growled in response to the new voice and Jack started to laugh softly. "Naughty boy."

Owen squeaked "What the hell?"


	15. finally... contact

The SUV screeched into the camp site and Jack was already out as Owen struggled to get the parking brake on form the passenger seat, yelling at Jack as the headlights lit up the scene.

The woman and the boy were inside the toilet block with no doors so Ianto had dragged a rubbish bin in front of the doorway so each time the Weevil tried to get to the entrance he kept slapping at it with a piece of wood. Jack could see blood dripping on the concrete and knew it was Ianto's as the little one watched from the camper's window with tears rolling on her face.

She was magnificent.

Jack was taken with her little eyes, so much like Alice at that age except for her smooth Ianto chin and little Ianto nose that had him grinning at her insanely. To his delight she smiled back and two dimples appeared.

OH GOD.

Jack saw his mother.

He stood transfixed as Owen yelled "A little help ya mad fucker!"

Jack turned to find Owen trying to spray the weevil as Ianto swung again, this time breaking the piece of wood across it's back and he yelled as Owen looked back to Jack once more while standing directly in the Weevil's path.

Ianto didn't think twice, reaching out to seize Owen as the Weevil struck, Ianto screaming as the weevil's claws slashed through his arm instead of Owen's chest and Jack fired as he ran towards them, watching Ianto and Owen drop to the ground as they had been trained so he could empty the Webley into the monster.

Owen seized Ianto's arm as Ianto writhed on the ground groaning and Toshiko screamed down the coms for an update. Ianto looked up at Jack and hissed through his pain "Evie, get Eve safe."

Jack rose and headed to the camper and the door flew open as she ran from it with her dog racing behind her "DADDY!"

Jack dropped to a knee, overcome as he heard her call to him. Ianto had told her, had clearly shown hr pictures. She knew him. She knew he was her Dad and was excited. He lifted her up and carried her to the SUV as Owen saw to Ianto then the little girl leaned out the door of the SUV and yelled "OWEN HURRY UP!"

As the little dog leapt into the SUV Owen yelled back "Keep your hair on damn it."

Ianto laughed softly as he let Owen help him to his feet, his arm wrapped in a pressure bandage as he said to him "The dog. She called the dog Owen. So she could have a best friend the same as Daddy."

"Bullshit" Owen laughed panting as he struggled Ianto into the back seat.

Hey baby" Ianto grinned, grimacing as he let Owen hold his arm up and a little face looked at him with excitement. Ianto knew why "Back seat here by me I know there is a front seat but there is no car seat. What is rule number one Eve?"

"Safety first" she said, her little head nodding on the last word for emphasis. Jack couldn't stop looking at her, his heart swell gin as he saw so much of his mother in this child, even as he saw Alice. That little spot of Ianto in her cheeky grin or that slide sideways of her eyes… wow.

They drove to the Hub and Owen promised he would go back with Toshiko later to collect the Camper and their stuff, not caring as UNIT passed them en route to collect the weevil body and clean the site. They had strict instructions not to touch that camper and if Owen returned to find one single thing moved he would 'cut a bitch' as he screamed in the phone as Ianto growled softly.

"Little ears Owen" Jack said softly.

"You are an Owen too? Oh... you are Daddy's Owen?" a little voce asked "Owens are good. I like Owens. Taddy said that an Owen is a good friend."

Owen looked at Ianto and asked "That why she chose th name?"

"I tried to talk her out of it but she had her father's stubborn streak. The more I tried to argue the more determined she became."

"Sounds familiar" Owen snorted.

They entered the Hub to find Toshiko there, the med-bay ready as well and Jack half carried Ianto down there for Owen to work on as the little one wandered around the Hub with interest.

"NO TOUCHING" Ianto roared up at the ceiling and a little voice yelled back that was then drowned out by loud shriek.

"Myfanwy?"

"The big Leather Bird came back. Hates us, thinks we are keeping you from us and shits on everything!" Owen muttered.

"You do let her out mornings and night for the toilet right?" Ianto asked and Owen stared at him.

"Fair enough."

Ianto laughed through the pain and then let Owen cut back the clothing, Jack standing back to wring his hands as he watched Owen see to Ianto. Soon the sonic scalpel was closing wounds and Ianto was done with the entire thing, looking up to watch little shoes run about, the hand on the railing as she ran in circle, reassuring him that she was OK.

He did not look at Jack.

Would not make eye contact and Jack knew he was afraid. Deathly afraid for what might happen next.

And that broke Jack's heart.

.

.

last one for tonight ... last two chapters tomorrow guys xxx


	16. Jack's turn to be furtive

Ianto woke to the soothing sound of the Hub and his first thought was that it had all been a dream. Then his arm told him otherwise as he tried to lift it and he groaned with pain.

"Hey" Jack said softly as he leaned forward in the chair by the bed "Easy. Owen and Tosh are picking up your camper and Gwen is in coms. Little Missy is asleep over there in the camp bed and you are going to be fine."

Ianto lay there staring at him, then his eyes started to flit around the room and Jack leaned back "you are in the Hub Yan. Safe, wanted and definitely not in any danger."

"Jack" Ianto finally spoke and Jack felt something inside him sigh as Ianto's voice sounded so full of pain "I… I am sorry …I…"

"No. Later… on a day where we have nothing between us, when it is just you and me … on that day we will talk about what happened once upon a time… but right now… today… it is all good. OK? You are home. I will look after you, look after her and we will work this out. I promise… we can work this out. Ianto… I am sorry I scared you, hurt you… made you run."

"I thought we were not doing this now" Ianto said as he focused on him.

Jack huffed with amusement, "fair call. Hungry?"

"Thirsty, I lost a lot of blood I think" Ianto finally answered after considering in that deliberate way of his.

"Owen gave you a few bags while you were out. I will get you lemonade, you like lemonade" Jack rose and went to leave then froze at the door as something occurred to him, turning to face Ianto.

"It's OK" Ianto said with a wan smile "I will not run while your back is turned. She is sleep and that one is like you in that respect too… it would take a tank firing next to her head to even make her stir."

Jack left Ianto who rolled to the edge of the bed and rubbed his face as he wondered how long this ceasefire might last. Then he looked over at his little girl and knew he had a chance here… a slim one but maybe… maybe this could work.

.

.

"It's cool" Owen said as he swung in his chair "I want one."

"Mistier I hate the countryside? Wants an RV?" Toshiko laughed as she shook her head.

"Yeah, but it has all the mod-cons. Did you see? His even had a fucking shower in it…ooops… bugger" Owen muttered reaching into space then let some coins to drop into the jar on his desk.

Jack lowered the finger he had raised to scold and went back to reading the report as Ianto entered with the tray laid as per usual. He silently placed mugs dons and bickies on edges of plates, moving around to then place the glass of flavoured milk down on the coffee table next to the colouring book.

"Thank you Tadda" a little voice said as she politely moved her elbow from the table.

"Yeah, ta Ianto" Owen called out.

Ianto nodded, settling on the sofa next to Jack where he picked up another batch of folders and threw a look of anger at Owen before starting to colour code the edges. Four years without Ianto meant a lot of files not even fucking filed, piles of them on the desk in the archives like Ianto might come back and fix it.

Well… seems he is doing just that. Been back a month and so much to do.

"Morning pet" Gwen called out as she entered the Hub, racing for the still hot mug and she lifted it to moan as she took a gulp, then settled "Eve, I got a new one for you."

"Oooo, thank you aunty Gwen" she said as she raced over to peer into the shopping bag and with a scream of glee she removed a little toy truck. "Oh WOW Harewoods!"

"The latest one. Rhys got it special for you love" she crooned with glee as she reached around and cuddled the little girl "He wants to know if you want to go to London with him tomorrow on a drop off he has to do."

"TADDA?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Can I go for a truck ride with Uncle Rhys?"

Ianto considered, looking at Jack "Daddy? Do you think she can do that?"

"I don't see why not Taddy, she did clean her room this morning" Jack said as he smiled softly.

"OK" Ianto shrugged and she squealed as she cuddled Gwen with glee.

"And we can go check out that place tomorrow" Jack whispered to Ianto without taking his eyes off their daughter.

"Huh?"

"That safe house … out on the outskirts… I want to check it out tomorrow" Jack repeated slowly.

"We can take Owen for a ride, let him pop his head out the window and shake off the cobwebs … howl a bit" Ianto said as he rose to swap out the files.

"Sure… we can take the dog too" Jack rose as well and Owen looked up from his work, said dog in his lap asleep as he poked out his tongue.

.

.

"Wow. It's huge" Ianto said as he walked around, Owen outside running around with the dog and Ianto smiled as he waved, watching Owen wave then yelp as the dog tripped him up. Then Ianto looked around the large living room that ran off the kitchen. All one level, the bedrooms at the back of the house were airy, large and the trees in the back yard helped shelter from the storms that must come now and then. The front yard where Owen was now wrestling with the dog was also a nice size, Ianto standing there a he contemplated how much a place like this would cost.

"What are you thinking?" Jack asked as he wandered back from the back of the house with a pad and pen in his hand.

"I am wondering how much this space is worth, have you seen the brick fireplace? Lovely" Ianto sighed.

"I own it" Jack replied sagely "One of four properties I actually own. Sometimes I had money and …well… I spent it. Sometimes I had to hide people even from Torchwood ya know"

"The carpet is naff. The wallpaper is dated and faded to hell and I will not even start on that bloody painting there… what the hell is it?" Ianto pointed to an old London shot that had Jack looking at it with surprise.

"Huh?"

"Wait. Why are we here?" Ianto asked as he looked out the window to the back yard and saw the little swing set that looked brand new, out of place in this old house. "Jack?"

"Well… I thought we could live here."

"Huh?"


	17. the day is finally here!

"This is the day" Jack said calmly as he eyeballed the man who was nervously checking where the exit was.

"The day?"

"Yes. Don't play with me, no need. You know as well as I do we need this day and today is that day. Here and now, just you and me in this room. As long as it takes" Jack said calmly.

Ianto looked like he might bolt and then to Jack's immense relief he relaxed, leaning back against the kitchen bench to nod "Yeah. The moment we stepped in here and you told Owen to take the dog out back… I knew then what you brought me here for. I thought it would be less… empty. Maybe the pretense of a sofa or something, not these bare walls. If so… why didn't you place don plastic?"

"First of all, I am not Dexter and do not make kill rooms… secondly I am not here to kill you, I want to live with you" Jack rolled his eyes "don't' be so dramatic."

"Dramatic?"

"Ianto! I threatened to kill you, knocked you up, made you run away for three years THREE… ok… almost four….. come on stop laughing at me, I am trying to be serous here!" Jack frowned as Ianto waved a hand.

"Owen Mark II shit on the lawn…. Owen Mark I rolled in to while playing with him… it's on his back and he still doesn't know" Ianto giggled and Jack rushed to see, giggling as he laughed along with him.

Ianto reached out and hooked Jack's hand as he leaned on the counter next to him and whispered "We do not need the talk. I had a thousand different scenarios of this talk in my head and I am sure you did too. They all end with us defeated… tired and in the end… in each other's arms. Let's not chose one of the many games to play here… I am tired Jack. So tired and really, I just want your arms."

Jack did not argue with him, tears stinging as he admitted it was too tiring to think of arguments too… not when in the end he just wanted to hold him.

.

.

Eve looked around the house with interest, checking each room and then finding the one they knew she would like. After three weeks of intensive work the house was a home bursting with clean, new things that Ianto would soon offset with some second hand shop visits and weekend market stall perusing.

Already though… they had one thing right as she squealed and clapped her hands as she stared at the lilac room with purple accents, the doll house down one end tempered with the remote control car set on its own table.

"CARS!" she screamed.

"See? Told you. She likes dolls and horses and pink frilly things but give her a car or a toy gun? She is happy." Ianto smiled "going to be a force to be reckoned with one day."

"She can't date until she's thirty and she can't have her own gun until she is at least sixteen!" Jack said with venom and Ianto laughed at the weird logic of this man thinking a gun for a teenage girl was a good idea.

Oh well… he would learn.

They all had a chance at a second life now.

It was all going to be tickety-boo.

.

.

.

And so it ends, thanks for reading and a sequel may come when the brain lets it. No promises xxx


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